A Warm Embrace
by texasbelle91
Summary: My attempt at dealing with Beth's death.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: so, this is my attempt at dealing with Beth's death. It's different but I needed to write something and this is what happened. There will be at least one more chapter to this as I have a lot I need to get out. I am not sure yet when I will update my other stories but I have decided that I will continue them. **_

_**Please review!**_

_***If you do not like this, don't bother leaving a review.**_

_**Thank you!**_

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><p><strong>A Warm Embrace <strong>

Maggie sat alone by Beth's body, not saying anything, not even crying. She wasn't crying because it didn't feel real. Even as she watched Daryl dig the hole her sister would soon be placed in.

The hole was dug before she knew it. She placed a kiss to Beth's forehead and whispered "I love you, Bethie" before she stood and the others took their turns saying goodbye.

Daryl was the last in line. As he kneeled next to Beth's body, everyone except Maggie turned away to give him a moment. She witnessed the quiver in his voice when he whispered "You were right. I miss ya so bad", the shaking in his hands as he brushed her hair away from her face and gently pressed his lips to her cold ones. He took a deep breath as he lifted her body and his eyes filled with tears.

Together, the group watched Daryl wrap Beth's body in a lavender sheet and gently place her in her grave.

Once Daryl had taken a step back, Rick and Glenn began to cover her body. Daryl wanted more than anything to yell at them to stop, that she couldn't really be dead but this time he knew she wasn't just gone.

As Father Gabriel began to speak, Maggie sobbed into Glenn's chest. Everyone had their arms around someone, seeking comfort in another's embrace. Everyone except Daryl.

He didn't dare close his eyes as he stared at her grave. He didn't even close them when he felt her arms wrap around him from behind and her head resting on his back. He simply hung his head.

The service didn't take long but afterwards, everyone went on about their day. It wasn't because the didn't care for Beth or miss her or love her. They could mourn whenever they were safe.

Daryl watched everyone for awhile from beside Beth's grave until he couldn't take it anymore.

He grabbed his things, slung his crossbow over his shoulder and took one last look around at his family before walking away.

Maggie sat there crying, silently cursing herself, God and her father for what happened to Beth when she saw a figure walking into the woods.

She grabbed up her gun, her knife and bag and followed.

Daryl noticed her footsteps right away but he didn't look behind him, he kept walking and pretending he was alone. He wished he could pretend it was Beth, the way her footsteps were heavy but graceful until he started showing her how to hunt. He wanted to be back with her those days after the prison fell, he wanted to be back at the funeral home with her. If he could do it all over again, he would. He'd tell her she was what changed his mind, he wouldn't have opened that door. He would've made sure they got out, together. But it was too late for that. His stupidity got her taken from him and then once he found her, she was taken away from him again. This time for good.

They walked on, neither of them saying anything, Daryl not even acknowledging Maggie walking beside him.

When they get to a small dirt road, after two hours of wandering around aimlessly, Maggie stopped and watched Daryl walk ahead of her.

She looked up to the beautiful, clear blue sky and sighed.

"You love Beth, don't you?" She asked him as loud as she could without looking away from the sky.

When he didn't answer, she looked his way, thinking he had already left, but she found he had stopped and she was staring at the angel wings on his vest. She walked closer until they were side by side.

"I...I never asked," Maggie began and looked away, "What happened...between y'all? Did you love my sister? Did you really love her?"

Daryl looked down and wiped his eyes. "Yeah. I fuckin' did. I do love 'er."

Maggie couldn't hold back her own tears when she looked at him again. "Where are we goin'?" She asked.

Daryl shrugged but didn't look up. "Ta find a drink," he muttered.

Maggie nodded and followed as Daryl started walking again.

It only took them, by Daryl's guess, an hour to come upon a old gas station. It had long been abandoned, probably even before the turn, by the looks of it.

There may not have been a damn thing inside worth getting but it didn't really matter. They were stopping anyways.

As expected, there wasn't anything inside except for a first aid kit and some matches. They continued on out the back door and to a small camper. Nothing. So once again, they continued walking.

Further down the road they came across an RV park. They searched two of the RV's without any luck. When searching the third, Maggie went into the bedroom and returned with a full bottle of Peach Schnapps. She triumphantly sat the bottle down on the table while Daryl rummaged through the remaining cabinets.

Maggie cleared her throat and said, "I found some Peach Schnapps."

Daryl dropped the jar of pickles he had in his hand, the shattering of the glass made Maggie jump but Daryl was frozen. She certainly didn't miss the way he tensed up and glared at her.

"What tha hell did ya say?"

"I found some Peach Schnapps. A full bottle actually. Didn't you say you were lookin' for a drink?"

Daryl took the few steps over to the table, picked up the bottle and stared at it. "Ain't no fuckin' real drink," he muttered to himself.

"What?"

"I ain't drinkin' no damn Peach Schnapps!" He said, slamming the bottle down on the table.

"Okay," Maggie glanced out the window, "there's one more RV left. You want to go check it out?"

"Yeah," he said gruffly. When Maggie stepped out of the RV, Daryl picked the bottle up off the table and stuffed it in his bag then followed Maggie out.

The last RV was a bust. By the time they had finished searching it, Maggie was ready to head back to the group. She didn't want to admit it but she wanted to be there for her sisters first night in the ground. She wanted to whisper goodnight to her one last time.

"So what now, Daryl?" She asked as they exited the RV, "You just goin' to keep walking until you're too far from our camp to come back?"

"Why tha fuck are ya here, Maggie?"

"I thought you could use some company."

"I didn't ask ya ta come with me. I sure as hell don't want no company."

"Daryl, I lost my sister. I just want some answers. Tell me what happened between the two of y'all while y'all were together."

"Ain't a God damn thing happened 'tween us," Daryl got in her face, "That what ya wanna hear? It's my own damn fault she's dead!"

"It's not your fault, Daryl. I don't blame you," she lied. If she were being honest, she did blame him. She blamed herself too. "Let's go back to camp. I'm sure the others are worried."

"I ain't goin' back!" He growled and stormed off before she could ask why.

Maggie quickly caught up to him and grabbed his arm. "We'll find your God damn drink but you don't get to leave us just because you're afraid," she shouted.

Daryl clinched his fist at her words, remembering the very same ones coming from Beth.

"I ain't afraid of nothin'!" He growled back.

"Yes you are."

"What tha hell do ya want from me? Huh?" He shouted.

"I want you to quit bein' a jackass!" She shouted back, "You act like you're the only one who's ever lost someone but you're not! I lost my little sister. I'm the last one! Don't you get that, Daryl? I'm alone!"

"Ya ain't fuckin' alone! Ya got Glenn, yer husband. I got no one. Beth...she meant more ta me than she did to you!"

"Is that what you think, Daryl?"

"That's what I fuckin' know! Ya looked fer Glenn but ya didn't look fer her! When...," tears spilled from his eyes and a lump formed in his throat, "when we was alone together, she thought about you! Wanted to find you an' ever'one else! She knew y'all was alive an' I didn't believe 'er!" He dropped his head and let his crossbow hit the ground. "I didn't fuckin' believe 'er," he cried.

"Let's go back," Maggie whispered as she put her hands on his shoulders.

He shrugged away from her, "If ya wanna go back, go 'head then. But I ain't goin' back."

"I'm not leavin' without you. You're our family, Daryl. Do you think Beth would want you to be alone out here? Because I don't. She would want us all to stick together," she said, picking up his crossbow and handing it to him.

Daryl shook his head and looked up as Maggie tugged on his arm.

He let her pull him along, back down the road and through the woods.

They walked on, the time passing slower than it had before, until they were back with the group, somewhere Daryl didn't want to be.

There were concerned looks, a few friendly hugs and pats on the back but nothin' felt the same, nothin' felt right to Daryl.

Sitting around the fire that night, everyone was quiet. Maggie had said her goodnight to Beth and was now sitting in her tent crying.

Daryl was sitting there watching the flames dance when Rick sat down next to him.

"I know she's gone," Rick said, "I know I should've done something. Something different. Maybe she'd be here. I'm sorry I didn't."

Daryl shrugged. "It ain't yer fault. This is on me. Tha things I did led ta this."

Rick sighed and held out a bottle. "I found this in one of the houses earlier. I figured if anyone deserves a drink, it's you."

Daryl took the bottle and studied the label.

"Everclear," he mumbled with a smirk. "Might need ta burn somethin' down later if I drink this."

"Well," Rick clapped him on the back and stood up, "just let us know before you do."

Maggie watched Daryl walk towards Beth's grave. When he sat down, she looked at Glenn.

"He loves her," she told him.

Glenn nodded. "I know. We all know."

It was a while before the fire was put out everyone took their places for the night or for watch. It was quiet and still out. There wasn't any sounds from nature, the wind didn't blow, there wasn't a star in the sky, just the moon. It was eerie but peaceful.

Daryl didn't speak to Beth when he sat by her grave, he simply listened to the quietness that surrounded him until he had to stand and walk away.

He had drifted away from the group, to sit along the edge of the trees, and was nowhere near finishing the bottle Rick had given him but he was beginning to feel the effects. To him, that wasn't a good thing. He remembered the last time he drank. How that beautiful blonde called him out. How she made him see her, not just another dead girl.

He laughed to himself, she wasn't a happy drunk but neither was he. But where she said she wasn't blind, he was or at least he wanted to be. He wanted to blind to this world. He didn't want to see it for what it really was. He wanted to see it through Beth's eyes, the way he was beginning to see it before she was ripped away from him.

He didn't see or hear or feel anyone near him until the bottle was taken out of his hands. But only when he looked up did he really notice.

She sat down next to him and took a sip from the bottle, "You may not understand why I didn't look for her but it wasn't because I thought she was dead. I knew there was a chance that a lot of us wouldn't have survived the attack but I didn't want to know, not really. I thought, if I could find Glenn, everythin' would be alright. Even if I never saw Beth again, it would've been alright because at least I would've known there was chance she made it."

Maggie pressed Daryl for more answers but he wouldn't give her any. He wanted her to know what all happened with Beth but he was selfish. He wanted to keep everything they went through together as his own memories. He didn't want to share them. They belonged to him and Beth.

Somewhere between his memories and the bottle, his fingertips met Maggie's face and wiped at her tears.

A few more sips and their lips met.

The bottle was soon forgotten beside them as was their clothes.

When he looked beneath him, he saw blonde hair and blue eyes, not Maggie.

She squeezed her eyes shut as she begged him not to stop. Then his hand covered her mouth, her fingernails dug into his back and "Beth" escaped his lips.

It was wrong. They both knew it even as they laid there staring at the sky afterwards but God help them if they didn't need it.

The sunrise didn't take them by surprise as they sat in the same spot, once again clothed, and shared another round from the bottle.

Their names were called, their stuff was packed and Daryl said his final goodbye to Beth.

Maybe she would've hated him for what he did, not just the night before but that night so long ago when he opened that door, but he needed something he was sure he didn't deserve.

He needed to feel her arms around him. He needed her but she was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: This chapter takes place over the course of several months. Again, I don't expect everyone to like this. It's my way of dealing with the MSF.**_

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><p><strong>A Warm Embrace<strong>

**Part II**

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><p>They've been on the road for three, maybe four months now.<p>

Rick and Abraham argue everyday about where they should go.

Despite Eugene admitting we wasn't a scientist and he wasn't able to cure this thing, Abraham still thinks DC is their best bet. He almost had everyone convinced too but once he had another breakdown, all eyes were on Rick.

Rick wanted to stay in Georgia, their home. He wanted to be close to those they had lost, though he only admitted that to himself. When he turned to Daryl, he didn't get a response.

All these months after Beth's death, only two people could get a response out of Daryl. Judith and Maggie were the only ones he talked to.

He took comfort in holding Judith close, quietly singing whatever songs he could remember, though they were mostly songs he remembered Beth singing.

He took comfort in holding Maggie close as well. On the nights they'd end up on watch together, she laid in his arms and just let him for a while before they would go about their normal routines.

They knew there wasn't anything between them. It wasn't a few stolen kisses here and there. It was usually hard and fast against a tree, a building or whatever was near but the few times they took their time, they'd both sit in silence afterwards. Neither speaking of what they had just done. It wasn't like they could explain it anyway. Maggie pretended not to notice that Beth's name was called out each time just as Daryl pretended not to notice Maggie's tears. It was just them doing something they needed.

Early one morning, while on watch, Rick witnessed something he couldn't unsee.

Sure, it wasn't as bad as some of the things he'd seen over the years or these past few months by it was bad enough he needed to get it off his chest.

He wasn't going to gossip about it but he did need to talk to someone. So, when Daryl came back from his hunt, Rick pulled him aside.

"Somethin' wrong?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah," Rick nodded, "yeah, there is. Look man, I...I know about you and Maggie. I've seen y'all. Now, it ain't none of my business but I've been on the other side of a similar situation."

Daryl scoffed. "You're right. It ain't none of yer business."

"I get that you're both upset and dealin' with stuff but things are gonna get messy if y'all continue this. Daryl, help me understand what's goin' on."

"Don't neither one of us understand it ourselves," Daryl mumbled.

"Are you in love with her?"

"Naw. It ain't nothin' like that."

"Well, if it ain't nothin' like that, then what the hell is it?"

"I...," Daryl shrugged, "I ain't sure."

"That's not a good enough reason, Daryl. It needs to end."

Daryl hung his head and walked away. He knew Rick was right. This needed to end. It never should have started to being with but in those moments together, neither he nor Maggie cared.

Rick waited to talk to Maggie until he could catch her alone which meant he had to wait nearly all day.

It wasn't until after the sun had set when he got a chance.

Maggie was sitting alone near where Judith was lying on a blanket. She was watching the little girl sleep but she wasn't really seeing her, she was in her own world until Rick spoke up.

"Have you told Daryl yet?"

She turned to face him. "Tell Daryl what?"

Rick took a quick look around before kneeling next to her in the grass. "That you're pregnant," he whispered.

Maggie swallowed hard and shrugged. "I'm not pregnant and even if I was, it would be Glenn's child. There's nothin' goin' on between me and Daryl."

"Don't lie to me, Maggie. I've seen you and Daryl together and I saw you throwin' up this mornin'. Just like you have the past few days. I've noticed every time you've gotten sick," he stopped and rubbed his hand over his face and sighed, "I'll tell you the same thing I told Daryl this morning. This has to end between y'all."

Maggie sighed and picked at the grass. "I don't know if I'm pregnant or not."

"I suggest you find out then. And when you do, you need to tell Glenn and Daryl."

Rick shook his head and stood up when Maggie refused to look at him.

Beth's death had torn their group apart worse than anything had before.

Losing Sophia, the farm, Hershel, the prison, nothing compared to her death and he wasn't sure how to fix it.

He picked Judith up and carried her to his tent. Sitting there, he watched her sleeping.

Daryl and Maggie weren't the only ones affected by Beth's death. They all felt as if they had lost a friend, a daughter, a sister, and for Judith, another mother.

He layed down and closed his eyes, praying for the first time in years that things would work out. He prayed that whatever the hell was going on with Daryl and Maggie wouldn't tear everyone apart more than they already were.

Maggie thought about what Rick had said all night. She knew she was pregnant but she didn't know how she'd explain it to Glenn. She hadn't allowed him to touch her in that way since the prison fell.

The next morning they moved on from where they had camped.

The town they had come to had been picked over but they found a few things in the store that were usable, namely, a pregnancy test.

Glenn caught sight of what Maggie had grabbed off the shelf at the store but he waited until they had found a place to set up camp for the night before he mentioned it.

She had early watch, so after they ate dinner, Glenn approached her.

"I saw you get the test. Are...are you preg...pregnant?" He stuttered.

"Yes," she whispered.

A smile formed on Glenn's face before quickly fading as he took a step back.

"Oh God. Maggie?" The hurt in his voice caused her to flinch.

"I'm sorry," she said as Glenn walked away without giving her a chance to explain herself. Not that that would make what she did okay, she knew it wouldn't.

A few days and a couple of talks with Rick later, Maggie got up the courage to tell Daryl.

She'd been able to corner Glenn and get him to listen to her but he'd been keeping his distance, telling her he needed time to think things over.

Daryl laid his crossbow on the ground when he saw Maggie walking towards him.

He went to her, like the other times before, but this time she stopped him.

The look on in her eyes startled him for a moment before she reached out and took his hand.

"Daryl..."

He shook his head. "Naw. Ya ain't gotta say it. I know this shit we been doin' ain't right. I's gon' tell ya we shouldn't keep on with it."

"I don't think we should either but it's too late for that," she said and stared at him.

Daryl didn't know what Maggie was tryin' to say even after she placed his hand on her stomach.

"This should be yours and Beth's or mine and Glenn's but it's not. It's mine and yours," she said while fighting back tears.

Daryl jerked his hand away and turned away from her as he tried to process what she was saying.

"Daryl?"

"Shit," he muttered, "this...fuck...what tha fuck?"

He turned back to face her after a minute with tears in his eyes.

"You don't have to do anythin', Daryl. I'm not askin' you too. I just thought you should know."

She wasn't sure what was going to happen when he took a step towards her and fell to his knees. He pulled her to him and pressed his face against her stomach, crying and saying he was sorry but he wasn't apologizing to her. He was apologizing to Beth.

It took Daryl several weeks to come to terms with the situation and by that time everyone knew about Maggie being pregnant.

Glenn hadn't exactly forgiven her but he was by her side.

By the time they made it to DC, Maggie was showing.

Eugene may have lied about being a scientist but he knew they needed to get to DC.

There was a safe zone in place, complete with walls and what resembled civilization.

Everyone was assigned jobs and places to live.

Daryl shared a house with Rick and the kids. Maggie and Glenn were in the house next door and the others chose to live in apartments.

As the months drug on, Maggie's pregnancy progressed without any complications and they all seemed to be adjusting well. Everyone except Daryl, that is.

He was having a hard time accepting life without Beth, the routine everyone had and life in general.

What scared him the most was that he was about to become a father.

He, Maggie and Glenn had had many discussions on what was going to happen.

Glenn, while not thrilled with the situation, agreed with Maggie that if Daryl wanted to be a part if the child's life, he should be. He and Maggie were trying to work things out but they still had a long way to go.

In the final weeks of Maggie's pregnancy, Daryl was sleeping on the couch in the house she shared with Glenn just in case she went into labor.

When the time came, both Daryl and Glenn were at work trying to build another section of the wall.

They were alerted when Tara came running into the construction area while carrying Judith.

"It's...Maggie. She's...," Tara stopped to catch her breath, "she's havin' the baby."

Both men dropped their tools, grabbed their weapons and followed Tara to the makeshift hospital.

Maggie was in already in the delivery room with Carol and Michonne by her side.

Daryl stopped in the doorway, not following Glenn into the room and not sure if he wanted to go in or if he even belonged in there.

Glenn was Maggie's husband, he belonged in there, not him.

Daryl took Judith out of Tara's arms and started bouncing her.

The others kept looking at Daryl, wondering if he was going to see his child being born.

Rick sat down next to him and reached out for Judith.

When the little crawled into his lap, he looked over to Daryl who was nervously tapping his foot and biting his lip.

"You should go in there," Rick said.

"Naw," Daryl mumbled.

"You should. That's your baby."

Daryl shook his head. "It's wrong. This whole damn thing is wrong."

Rick looked down at Judith and nodded. "It may be wrong but it's worth it. When you get to hold that baby, you'll think so too. Just 'cause you and Maggie ain't together and y'all shouldn't have slept together in the first place, it doesn't mean that baby is a mistake."

"I ain't sayin' tha baby's a mistake. I jus'...I keep thinkin' 'bout Beth. What she'd say 'bout this. What she'd think. I know she'd hate me. Ain't none of this tha way it's supposed ta be."

"I think if Beth were here, this wouldn't have happened," Rick said. "If Beth were here, I believe she'd be the one in there screamin' and tryin' to push out your baby, not Maggie. She'd probably even say she hates you but she wouldn't mean it. Beth would understand though. I don't know how much I believe it but everythin' happens for a reason. Maybe thus happened for a reason. Maybe it was all Beth. Maybe she thought you deserved some happiness."

Daryl huffed. "That's a whole lot of maybes."

"Well, ya never know."

It wasn't much longer before Carol stepped out of the room and called Daryl over with a smile.

"Go on in," she said.

Daryl stepped into the room and stood at the foot of the bed watching Maggie with their baby.

Glenn and Maggie both smiled up at him and Maggie motioned for him to come closer.

With shaking hands, he carefully lifted the child out of her arms and cradled the baby to his chest.

"It's a girl," Maggie whispered.

He closed his eyes and gently rocked her.

"What are y'all gon' name 'er?" He finally asked.

"Well," Maggie started, "I was thinkin' of Anna for her first name. Glenn and I agree that you should pick her middle name."

"What's it goin' to be?" Glenn asked.

"Beth," Daryl whispered then cleared his throat. "Anna Beth?"

He watched tears form in Maggie's eyes then slide down her cheeks as she nodded her head in agreement.

"Anna Beth," she said with finality.

Carol, Michonne and the doctor that had been in the room all looked between Daryl and the baby and Maggie and Glenn.

"Who's last name will the child have?" The doctor asked.

Daryl didn't speak up nor did Glenn. They both thought the choice should be Maggie's.

She looked at Glenn, and without a spoken word between them, he nodded his head.

"Daryl?" Maggie said, "would you mind if she has your name?"

He looked down at the baby in his arms and started crying. She was the only "Beth Dixon" there would be. He didn't hate the idea though he thought she should have Maggie's or Glenn's last name. Wouldn't that make things easier for her?

"I think Anna Beth Dixon is perfect," Rick spoke up from the doorway.

Four weeks later, Maggie and Glenn were exhausted and asked Daryl to keep Anna Beth.

He wasn't trying to push her off on them alone, he had to work. But when they asked, he said yes.

Daryl laid her down in the bed beside him after she had been fed and changed.

This was all so new to him. He never thought he'd have this, at least not with someone he didn't love.

A few hours later, when Anna Beth woke up, Daryl went through the routine of taking care of her before he settled down on the couch in Rick's living room and started rocking her.

When she did nothing but fuss, Daryl thought of Beth and how she used to sing to Judith.

He wasn't about to sing, but that didn't mean he couldn't keep Beth's memory alive.

"Hey, baby girl," he whispered, "I'ma tell ya a story but ya gotta settle down for me." He bounced her a little before he began.

"I don't know if yer mama will ever tell ya 'bout yer Aunt Beth but if she doesn't, I think ya should know how strong she was an' that I love 'er. I always will. She helped me burn down a place once. It was her idea but she'd been right. It helped. Even found a funeral home ta stay in. We both knew it wasn't right but I thought it'd be safe there. Came close ta tellin' yer Aunt Beth how I felt 'bout 'er but I never got tha chance. That's how you got here."

Anna Beth's eyes were closed when Daryl looked down at her but he didn't stop with his story.

Every night that Daryl had Anna Beth, he would tell her the same stories. She may not have known what he was saying but it was something he needed to do.


	3. Chapter 3

**A Warm Embrace**

**Part III**

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><p>"Daddy!" Anna Beth shouted as she ran to Daryl and wrapped her arms around his legs. "It's my birthday!"<p>

Daryl laughed as he picked up the little blonde hair, blue eyed girl and kissed her forehead. "Yeah, it is, baby girl. What ya wanna do?"

"Can we go see mommy an' then you an' uncle Rick promised me an' Judy we could go campin'."

"Well, go get ready an' we'll go see yer mama. Then we'll talk ta uncle Rick 'bout y'all campin'."

It didn't take Anna Beth long to get ready then she was walking down the street, hand in hand with her daddy.

Today was Anna Beth's seventh birthday and just as she had for the last two years, she wanted to see her mommy.

Two years ago, Maggie had been killed while on a supply run. It was supposed to be a quick and simple job, retrieving medical supplies from Annapolis but they had ran into a few unexpected surprises.

There were a few people who had staked their claim to the area and opened fire without warning. Thankfully, Maggie hadn't needed to be put down. But it didn't make it any easier.

Daryl knew what he was feeling after witnessing Maggie being shot in the head was nothing compared to how Glenn was feeling. He had been there before, hell, somedays he was still there.

But Glenn was the one in love with her. He was the one who had to go home and bury her and worst of all, he had two small children and a baby who he had to explain to why their mommy wasn't coming home. Whereas Daryl took it upon himself to tell Anna Beth what actually happened. He didn't want her to hear some bullshit story, she needed to know the truth.

When they arrived at Maggie's grave, Daryl stood back and let Anna Beth run to her mother's side.

Daryl smiled when she came running back to him a few minutes later and grabbed his hand. "C'mon daddy," she said, pulling him in the direction of their house.

Rick was waiting on the front porch for Daryl and Anna Beth. When he saw them, he gave Daryl a quick nod and went inside.

Anna Beth ran up the steps, Daryl following closely, and opened the door.

"Surprise!" Everyone jumped out and screamed when she entered the living room.

She was all smiles as everyone sang happy birthday and ate cake. She didn't get any gifts but she was fine with that.

Later that night, Rick and Daryl let Judith and Anna Beth camp out in the backyard.

Daryl couldn't believe how much both girls had grown. He was happy he was still alive to see them but somedays he couldn't believe he was.

The camping didn't last long once it started raining and both girls ran inside screaming. Neither Daryl nor Rick were home, both were on guard duty, so it was up to Carl to put both girls to bed.

The next morning, Daryl woke Anna Beth up for school and walked her down the street to the school.

In the years since the turn, the community had put in place a school system as best they could and both girls enjoyed school.

Daryl walked into the house later that night, Carl and Rick weren't home but Anna Beth and Judith were.

They were sitting in the living room at the coffee table doing their homework and singing.

Daryl leaned against the door frame and listened to the girls. It had been a long time since he heard singing, he wasn't counting the times people would sing at funerals.

_"I lit my love and watched it burn Asking nothing in return Except the lessons I will learn By holding crazy faith_

_I've been touched by that bright fire Down to the root of my desire While the smoke it rises higher On crazy faith_

_You're not asking if I love this man I know you don't, you don't believe you can Yet I've seen love open like a dancer's fan It's crazy I know But my faith says so, it tells me_

_Am I a fool for hanging on? Would I be a fool to be long gone? When is daylight going to dawn On my crazy faith?_

_The questions will not let me sleep Answers buried way too deep At the bottom of a lover's leap Made by crazy faith."_

Their voices rang through the house as Daryl went to his room to clean up.

It was a couple months later when Daryl finally got some time off to spend with Anna Beth.

They went hunting, bagged a deer and some rabbits.

He strung the deer up in the backyard and started cleaning it as Anna Beth sat on the steps watching him.

She picked at the chipped paint on the porch and hummed to herself.

Daryl looked up from the deer and stopped what he was doing when he heard Anna Beth singing.

_"Now I've got friendships to mend and I'm selfishly dispossessed You don't wanna be my boyfriend And that's probably for the best Because that, that gets messy And you will hurt me Or I'll disappear_

_So we will drink beer all day And our guards will give way And we'll be good_

_And we'll be good"_

"Where'd ya learn that?" He asked her when she finished.

She looked up and shrugged. "In school."

"They teach ya singin'?"

She nodded. "Yes sir. We have a music teacher. Why?"

"I...I've heard that song 'fore," he said, turning his attention back to the deer.

"You don't like that song, daddy?"

"I like it jus' fine. Why don't ya go wash up fer dinner?"

"Okay," she said and ran into the house.

Daryl sat down, rubbed his hand over his face and sighed. He didn't want to cry but it was too late, the tears were already running down his cheeks.

He still talked about Beth, told Anna Beth and Judith about her every chance he got. He would even tell Glenn and Maggie's kids about their Aunt Beth whenever he could. He could talk about her with a smile on his face but he'd fall apart when he was alone. On a few occasions, like now, something would snap inside him and he'd break down.

It didn't happen as often as it used to but it still did. He would always love her and remember her no matter what.

The next morning, Daryl walked both girls to school.

All day, he worked in a haze. His mind was filled with nothing but memories, bad memories.

He was let off work early after nearly nailing himself to the building they were fixing up.

He didn't have anything else to do, so he stopped by the school.

It wasn't unusual for parents to stop by throughout the day to see their kids, especially with so many of them working odd hours.

The door to Anna Beth's classroom was shut so he knocked on the door.

"Mr. Dixon," the teacher greeted him when she opened the door. "How are you today?"

"I'm aight. Where's Anna Beth?"

"Oh, she's in music class. We got a new music teacher and the kids really enjoy it. I think Anna Beth enjoys it more than the others. If you want to see what they're doing, the classroom is the third door on the right in the main building."

"Uh, naw. I'll wait in 'ere," he said and stepped into the classroom.

The teacher sat down at her desk as Daryl wandered around the classroom, looking at all the drawings and spotting Anna Beth's immediately.

He smiled when he saw her drawing.

It was a stick figure with a crossbow and "Daddy" written above it.

"She drew that last week. The assignment was for them to draw a picture of their hero. I think it's sweet," she pointed to the other drawings. "Most of the students drew pictures of other people from the community or a character from a book but she was the only one to draw one of their parents."

Daryl smiled again and looked back at the drawing just as the classroom door swung open and the children rushed in.

"Daddy!" Anna Beth squealed and ran to him, "you're early."

"I know. Go on an' get yer stuff."

She ran to her desk and gathered her things.

They walked out of the classroom, down the hall and to the main building.

"Daddy," Anna Beth tugged his hand and started pulling him down the hall. "I want you to meet my new teacher. She's really pretty," she said with a huge smile.

Daryl shook his head and allowed his little girl to pull him down the hallway and to the empty classroom.

Anna Beth let go of Daryl's hand and ran to her teacher who was seated at the piano in the corner of the room.

Daryl couldn't hear what she was saying to her teacher but he heard her giggle and the teacher stood up.

Anna Beth took her hand and pulled her towards Daryl. "This is my daddy."

Daryl's eyes narrowed and his breath caught in his throat.

"Dar...Daryl?" The voice was rougher than he remembered but it was familiar.

"You know my daddy's name?"

Both of them looked down at Anna Beth but neither said anything.

"Anna Beth, can you wait in the hall while I talk to your dad?"

The little girl nodded and walked out of the room.

"Yer supposed ta be dead," Daryl's voice broke at the end.

She just stood there staring at him.

"Yer supposed ta be fuckin' dead!" He shook his head. "You ain't here. I'm seein' shit."

"Daryl, wait."

"No, Beth! Ya ain't real!"

Before she could stop him, Daryl had hurried out of the classroom, picked Anna Beth up and was carrying her out of the school.

He took her to Glenn's and when asked what was wrong, he turned and walked away.

This wasn't the first time it had happened. He had seen Beth before when nobody was there, he'd seen her in the faces of others, he had seen her in his dreams and woke up screamin' more times than he could remember. But each time, it felt real.

She was never really there and this was no different.

Anna Beth's teacher would be just another person on a long list of people who avoided him after witnessing him losing it.

Rick had told him that it would get easier but he never believed him. How could he when from time to time Rick, himself, would lash out at Lori's ghost?

It was times like these Daryl was surprised neither of them had eaten a bullet.

When word got around about Daryl's outburst at the school, he was given a couple weeks off and some space, which was fine with him.

For a few days, Daryl walked around as if he were lost. Which was probably true, he wasn't exactly there.

He followed Anna Beth and Judith down to the small park on the fifth day of his time off. It wasn't something he wanted to do, be around people, but he'd do anything for the girls and they both knew it.

There were a few children younger than the girls playing when they got there and the parents that were there were gathered around talking.

"Fuckin' great," Daryl mumbled to himself and looked down at the girls. "Go on an' play."

"Hey," Michonne called out as she walked towards him, taking a seat.

He grunted and sat down on the bench next to her.

"I heard what happened at the school," she said. "I know you don't want to talk about it but maybe you should tell someone what happened."

"Saw Beth again," he grumbled and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "Keep thinkin' 'bout 'er, seein' 'er, hearin' 'er. She ain't goin' away like she used ta do."

Michonne nodded and looked over towards where the girls and the other children were playing before putting her hand on Daryl's shoulder. "Come with me," she said and stood up.

Daryl followed her as she walked towards the other parents.

"I thought you were goin' crazy again," Michonne said, "but then, Rick asked me to keep the girls and when I carried them to school, I knew you weren't crazy. If you were, then I was, too."

She stopped and nodded towards one of the mothers seated on a bench with a crying child in her lap.

Daryl looked towards her and studied her face, seeing the scars, before falling to his knees.

"Daddy?!" Anna Beth called out, getting everyone's attention, and running to him.

Daryl was on his knees, the ground spinning beneath him and hyperventilating.

Michonne sees her, too. She's not here though.

He felt a hand on his cheek, familiar but yet so different.

"Daryl? Daryl, look at me."

He looked up and into her eyes.

Everyone else had moved away from them but he could still feel them staring.

He didn't care though. He grabbed her, wrapped her in his arms and held her as close as he could.

"We buried you," he mumbled, "you were dead. We all saw ya get shot, then we buried you."

Beth hugged Daryl tighter. "I know. I'm sorry y'all had to go through that but I'm hers now."

"Mommy," a kid cried out.

He let go of her and shoved her away when be heard the cries.

"Daryl," she grabbed his arm, "talk to me."

He shook his head no and turned to Anna Beth and Judith, who were watching them, and told them to follow him.

Beth stood there, watching him walk away. She wanted to cry but she didn't. He may have missed her, thought she was dead like the others did, but it was clear he had moved on. All she had to do was look at his little girl to see that.

There was a tug on her shirt then a hand slipping into hers.

"Mommy?" Her little girl tugged on her shirt again, "who was that man?"

"Someone I used to know," she whispered.

"Dad won't like him," her son said, holding her hand a little tighter.

Daryl was confused as hell when he got back home. There were so many things he wanted to know. So many things he wanted to say, do and ask but only one question was on his mind when he slammed the front door shut as he followed the girls inside.

"Did ya fuckin' know?" He asked Rick who was cleaning a gun in the living room.

"Did I know, what?"

"Don't fuckin' play with me! Did ya know she was here? Beth?"

Rick shook his head and stood up. "I didn't know until yesterday. Michonne took me over to where Beth's stayin', that's when I found out she was here."

"She has kids, man," Daryl said more to himself than Rick.

"Yeah, she has two kids but you have a kid, too. With her sister."

"That shit's different an' you know it!"

"How is it different, Daryl?"

Daryl didn't answer. He went to his room, locked the door and sat down on the bed.

Everything was different. Beth had two kids. She had moved on, found someone she wanted to have a family with. He was happy for her, really. But their situations were different. He hadn't wanted a family with anyone. What happened between him and Maggie was for comfort more than anything else but he loved Beth, always would.

Beth tucked her kids into bed that night and sat on her front porch.

It was a clear night. The moon shone brightly through the trees, the wind was cool, everything felt normal but it wasn't.

Nothing would ever be normal again.

She sat there for the longest time, staring at the sky and looking for a shooting star to wish on.

She remembered being away from them, locked in that hospital and wishing they could find her. She wished more than anything that it would be Daryl who found her. After she woke up after being shot, she wished she could remember if she had family or not. When she started remembering, she wished for Daryl again.

Well, she got her wish. He was here and alive. That's all she could ask for, even if he had moved on and forgotten about her.

She was probably just kidding herself though. Thinking they had had something, that they could be more than whatever they had been, it was all stupid. She knew that now.

"Mommy, Charlie threw up."

She turned around and sighed. Standing up, she held out her arms for her daughter and picked her up.

"C'mon," she put her hand to her head. "Oh my God, Cathy. You're burning up!"

The next few days flew by for Beth. Between taking care of two sick kids and getting sick herself, she didn't have time to think about work, Daryl or anything.

Daryl was fine with not seeing Beth but that didn't mean she wasn't on his mind. She was on everyone's.

Their family gathered at Carol's house to discuss what they should do. None of them knew if Beth wanted to see them, be a family again or how much she had really changed.

It was going to be difficult but they decided they'd go to her home and talk to her. Ask her what life had been like for her the past seven years and fill her in on their lives as well.

That was a conversation Daryl wasn't looking forward to.

They waited two days before going to see her, they didn't want to bother her while she and her kids were sick.

Beth ran to the door with a smile when she heard a knock, not expecting anyone but happy for the company.

Her smile faded when she saw who all was there but she invited them in.

Everyone took turns telling her about themselves when she asked, everyone except Daryl.

That was fine with her. She didn't tell them anything she felt was too personal when they asked.

"So, you have kids?" Glenn asked.

Beth nodded. "Sort of. Charlie and Cathleen. Charlie's six and Cathy's four."

"What do you mean sorta?" Carl asked.

Beth took a deep breath and looked around, obviously looking for her kids. "They're not actually mine. Well, they're not my blood but they are mine."

She heard several "oh's" before trying to explain.

"I met their mom and dad on the road, right before Cathy was born. I'm the only mother she knows but sometimes I think she knows I'm not. I'm not even sure if Charlie remembers their mom."

"What about their dad?"

"Umm, he helped us get here then he...he left. He kind of lost it. They think he'll be back but he won't."

Daryl's heart dropped as he listened to Beth.

He had gotten it all wrong. Pushing her away wasn't what he should have done but he knew she'd push him away when she found who Anna Beth's mother was.

Beth shook her head and cleared her throat. "Well, I'd love to have y'all over sometime. Y'all can bring the kids. I can't believe how much Judith has grown. Glenn, I can't believe you and Maggie finally had babies! I'm sorry to hear about her though," her voice cracked a little but she shook it off, "and Daryl, Anna Beth's beautiful and smart. She loves you very much and looks up to you. You and her mom must be really proud of her."

Daryl tensed up and grunted his response.

"Her mother died two years ago," Michonne told her. "Daryl's a single father."

"Oh." Beth had gotten it wrong. But two years ago, he probably wasn't ready to be with anyone else. She wasn't even sure he had ever wanted her to begin with.

Beth had a dinner party the following weekend but she found herself disappointed when Daryl didn't show up. He had sent Anna Beth over with Rick, Carl and Judith.

Beth sang for them like she had at the prison so long ago. She held Maggie and Glenn's three kids, gave them hugs and kisses and told them stories about their mom. She held Judith close and smiled when Rick let her know that he had always referred to her as Mama Beth when telling Judith about those they'd lost. Judith loved knowing she had had two mothers and now she had one of them back. And Beth's kids, they loved having a big family and "cousins" to play with.

Anna Beth was a mystery though. She was definitely Daryl's daughter. She was quiet and observant. But Beth wasn't sure what to think. The little girl was a joy to have in class, always ready to take life head on, so full of energy and life and hope. She almost reminded Beth of herself.

Anna Beth caught Beth looking at her and went over to the woman, standing in front of her, Anna Beth took Beth's hand.

"Are you my Aunt Beth?" She asked, making everyone in the room go quiet.

"Yeah, she's your Aunt Beth," Rick said. "Your daddy named you after her. You remember him tellin' you that?"

Anna Beth nodded and climed up on the couch by her Aunt Beth but she stayed quiet.

When the night was over, and everyone went home, Beth tucked her kids in bed and went outside to sit on the porch. She hated being indoors.

Rick made sure both girls were in bed before going to the back yard to find Daryl.

"You should've been there tonight," Rick said. "Beth's changed. She loved seeing the kids. Her face lit up when Judith called her Mama and Anna Beth asked if she was her aunt. Speaking of that, I think you should go talk to her. Beth, I mean. She needs to know what's happened with you. Who Anna Beth is to her. It's more than just a title, Daryl. She needs to know."

Daryl stayed silent but Rick could tell he was thinking about it and knew he was right.

Daryl thought about it most of the night, not getting any sleep, just wandering around outside. He need to talk to someone, anyone.

That's how he ended up on Beth's front porch at 4 a.m.

His knock was louder than he intended it to be, there was no turning back now.

"Daryl?" Beth asked sleepily when she opened the door.

"She's yours," he said without thinking.

"Huh?" Beth rubbed her eyes.

"Anna Beth, she's yours. Your blood. Maggie is her mom."

"Huh?" She said again, thinking she hadn't heard him right. "What are you talkin' about, Daryl?"

"Maggie is Anna Beth's mom. After you died, things happened 'tween us. We didn't mean for it to but it did. Then she had Anna Beth."

Beth's fist clenched and without warning, it connected with Daryl's face. She wasn't really sure why she did it but she did and surprisingly, she felt a little better.

Daryl's eyes were filled with tears, there was blood running from his nose but he still saw her. The look on her face was one of hurt, anger and relief but when he walked away from the door, she left it open.

He stood there for a moment, not sure if he should follow her. For all he knew, she could've been waiting inside with a loaded gun but he took the chance.

Closing the door behind him, he walked through the living room to the kitchen where she was pouring water over a rag.

"Sit down," she said and waited for him to do as he was told before moving to stand in front of him to clean the blood off his face.

When she had finished, she sat down across from him, neither of them having said a word since standing on the porch.

"So, you and Maggie? How'd that happen?" She asked.

Daryl shrugged. "We saw ya get shot, we buried you. You were dead."

"So it's my fault?"

"That ain't what I'm sayin', Beth. Didn't neither one of us mean for anythin' ta happen."

"You didn't mean for it to happen? Then how the hell did it happen? Oh my God. What about Glenn? How could Maggie do that to him? How could you do that to him?"

"We were both drinkin'. An' Glenn wasn't happy 'bout none of it. 'Course, he didn't find out 'til after Maggie had gotten pregnant. He hated us both for a while, hated me long after he an' Maggie started workin' things out. Then he finally accepted it. Wasn't nothin' 'tween me an' Maggie anyways."

"What about Anna Beth? Does she know any of this? Did you raise her or did Maggie? How did this work?"

"She knows everythin'. I cain't keep nothin' from that girl. We all kinda raised 'er. After Maggie died, she wanted ta live with me at Rick's 'stead of stayin' with Glenn."

"Did you love Maggie?"

"No. She was family, my daughters mother. I loved 'er like family, nothin' more. Nothin' like how I love you."

Beth stayed silent. Daryl Dixon wasn't one to talk but he was on a roll and she hoped he'd continue. She wanted to know everything but she didn't ask. He just said he loved her but she wasn't sure she could love him like she once had, not after this.

"What 'bout you?" Daryl asked. "How'd ya get outta that grave? How were you still alive?"

"I'm not sure. I just know that I got out of there. I don't remember too much about the days after I got out of there but somehow I did. Maybe it was God, maybe it was daddy, maybe it was nothin' but luck but I made it," she said coldly.

Daryl wanted to jump up and shake her, make this Beth disappear and bring his Beth back.

"I didn't know who I was for awhile. It was about...two years before I started remembering things, who I was, everythin'," she sighed and looked down at her hands. "When I started remembering things, the first thing I remembered was you. That I didn't get a chance to tell you I loved you. I was stupid."

Daryl reached across the table to grab Beth's hands but she pulled them away.

"You should go," she whispered.

It wasn't easy for Daryl to get up and leave. It wasn't easy for her to watch him go.

But they went their separate ways that night.

Daryl didn't speak to Beth, not even about how Anna Beth was doing in school and anytime Beth need something that had to do with Anna Beth, she would send a note home or go to Rick but she never treated the girl any differently than she had before.

Everyone knew things were going to be bad whenever Beth found out about Daryl and Maggie but they didn't know it was going to be this bad. They all thought they'd argue a bit, realize they were supposed to be together and then they would live as happily as this world allowed.

Anna Beth watched her daddy. In the months since seeing her Aunt Beth for the first time, her daddy hadn't been the same.

He didn't carry her hunting anymore, he didn't play with her, tell her stories. He was hardly ever at home and she didn't know why.

"Uncle Rick?" Anna Beth asked as she opened the door to his room.

He sat up quickly. "Anna, what's wrong?"

"When's my daddy comin' home?"

He rubbed his face with both hands. "I honestly don't know."

"What did I do?" She asked as tears started falling. "Why doesn't my daddy love me anymore?"

Rick got out of bed, picked the girl up and carried her to the living room. He sat down on the couch with her and tried to think of the right way to tell her it wasn't something she did and that her daddy still loved her.

"Do you remember how your mommy loved Glenn?"

She nodded.

"Well, that's how your daddy loved your Aunt Beth. He loved her so much, that when we thought she was dead, he didn't act like himself. When he found out she was here, it hurt him. You didn't do anythin' wrong. Your daddy loves you, he always will but right now, the only thing that will help your daddy is Aunt Beth. They need to talk. Do you understand what I mean?"

She nodded again. "I think so."

"Alright kiddo. Get to bed."

Anna Beth gave Rick a quick hug before running to the room she shared with Judith.

Once she was sure Rick had gone back to bed, she slipped on her shoes and out the front door.

It was scary at night and she wanted her daddy but she was a big girl.

She quickly walked up the steps when she got to Beth's and knocked on the door.

Daryl got home just in time to wake Anna Beth up for school but when he walked into the girls' room and pulled the blanket on her bed back, he stopped and looked around.

"Anna?" He called out as quietly as he could, "Anna Beth?"

He panicked. Anna Beth wasn't answering, she wasn't in bed.

"Fuck!" Daryl growled out, waking Judith up.

"Uncle Daryl?"

"Where's Anna Beth?"

"I don't know," she shrugged.

"Shit!"

"Rick!" He stormed out of the room, calling out Rick's name. "Rick! Wake yer ass up!"

"I'm awake," Rick answered.

"Where tha hell's Anna Beth?"

"She should be in bed."

"Well she ain't!"

Daryl and Rick rushed around the house looking for her. Leaving Carl to tend to Judith, both men took their search outside, calling out her name and looking everywhere they could.

It didn't occur to either man to look at Beth's until the made it to her street.

"Shit!" Rick mumbled. "Daryl, she was askin' about you last night. Askin' why you don't love her anymore and what she did wrong. I told her it was anythin' she did and that you still love her but you and Beth were goin' through somethin'."

Daryl gave Rick a quick nod and took off down the street.

Before he even stepped on the porch, the front door opened and Beth stepped out.

"Anna Beth 'ere?" He asked, out of breath.

"She is."

"Tell 'er ta c'mon. We've been lookin' for 'er all mornin'."

"No," Beth shook her head.

"What?"

"You are not leavin' with her. "Not until we talk."

"Talk 'bout what? How I thought you was dead an' fucked yer sister? That's what ya been thinkin' 'bout, ain't it? Now give me my daughter!"

Beth shoved Daryl back. "You've been treatin' her like shit because you think I'm mad at you for being with Maggie. I'm not mad, Daryl. Not anymore. I can't be mad. So I'm givin' you the choice. If you still love me, you and Anna Beth move in here with me, Charlie and Cathy. If not, if you don't love me, if you don't want to be with me, then tell me now and we'll leave. We've lived out there for much longer than we've lived here. We'll survi..."

Beth was cut off when Daryl grabbed her and slammed his mouth against hers.

When they pulled apart, both were breathless as they stared at each other.

"Ya ain't leavin' me again," Daryl said.

A few hours later, Daryl had moved his and Anna Beth's things into Beth's house.

They knew it would take time to adjust, to get to know each other again, to find out what they really had but they were willing to spend the rest of their lives finding out.

Daryl walked up behind Beth and wrapped his arms around her as they stood in the doorway of Anna Beth's room.

His arms got tighter as he closed his eyes and kissed her head.

Everything was right with the world again, even if it was just his world.

He had his family. He had Beth back. She was where she belonged, in his arms.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: This is the final chapter. It may have been a little rushed and things may not have gone how others would've wanted them to but it is what it is. I hope y'all enjoyed this story. Thank y'all so much for reading, favoriting, following and reviewing. Y'all are the best! :D**_

_**The songs used in this chapter are:**_

_**"Crazy Faith" by Alison Krauss**_

_**"Be Good" by Waxahatchee/Emily Kinney **_


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